Method for the preparation of uranium dioxide powder (uo2) with good pressing and sintering properties from uranium hexafluoride (uf6) or aqueous solutions of uranyl nitrate (uo2(no3)2)



J y 7, 9 H. VIETZKE ETAL 3,519,403

METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE POWDER (U02) WITH e001) PRESSING AND SINTERING PROPERTIES FROM URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (w OR AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF URANYL NITRA'IE [U03 (NO5)2] Filed Dec. 18, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mixer nozzles or UO2(NO3)2 +c0 E 1 if;

i i l i i' y I! ti i: :l fji I! 1 i 11th;

to filter pump pump Schematic drawing of a batch process for the precipitation of AUC.

July 7, 1970 H. VIETZKE ETAL 3,519,403

METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE POWDER (U0 WITH GOOD PRESSING AND SINTERING PROPERTIES FROM URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (UP 0R AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF URANYL NITRATE [110 (N0 5) Filed Dec. 18, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mixer nozzles +CO2 t 1 vr- NH3 to filter precipitation vessei Fig. 2 Schematic drawing of a continuous process for the precipitation of AUC July 7, 1970 H. VIETZKE ETAL 3,519,

METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE POWDER (UO WITH GOOD PRESSING AND SINTERING PROPERTIES FROM URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (UP OR AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF URANYL NITRATB [U0 010 Filed Dec. 18, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet -1 Step 1: Decomposition, reduction and pyrohyd rolysis Offgas Line s Step2:

Pyrohydrolysis a steam/H g 3 N Step 3: 0 V 3 Controlled oxidation ""T Fig. 4

t l Schematic drawing of 0 continuous fluidized 5 eom bed process for the reduction of AUC to U02 United States Patent METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE POWDER (U0 WITH GOOD PRESSING AND SINTERING PROPERTIES FROM URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (UF OR AQUEOUS SOLU- TIONS OF URANYL NITRATE [UO (NO Horst Vietzke, Grossauheim (Main), Fritz Ploger, Kleinostheim (Main), Klaus Wegner, Hanau am Main, and Hans Pirk, Dornigheim (Main), Germany, assignors to Nukem Nuklear-Chemie und -Metallurgie G.m.b.H., Wolfgang, near Hanau am Main, Germany Filed Dec. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 691,581 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 17, 1966, N 29,688; Mar. 1, 1967, N 30,086 Int. Cl. C01g 43/02 US. Cl. 23-355 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Uranium dioxide of good pressing and sintering behavior is prepared by precipitating ammonium uranyl carbonate by continuously introducing as gases UF NH and CO into an ammonium carbonate solution having a constant pH of 7.8 to 8.6 followerd by spontaneously decomposing and gas reducing the ammonium uranyl carbonate in a furnace to obtain a pure uranium dioxide powder. The reduction is preferably carried out in a fluidized bed at 500 to 600 C. using a mixture of hydrogen and water vapor.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of uranium hexafluoride (UF or aqueous solutions of uranylnitrate [UO (NO into the ammonium uranyl carbonate (NH [UO (CO and the conversion of that product into a very pure, free flowing U0 powder which is without further treatment pressed and sintered to give ceramic bodies of high quality. In the existing generation of light water moderated nuclear reactors mainly dense, sintered U0 containing up to 5% U-235 is used as nuclear fuel.

At this time the starting material is almost without exception uranium hexafluoride (UF which, after chemical conversion to U0 powder is worked into U0 bodies of high density and surface quality by oxide ceramic methods.

The wet chemical processes developed up to now for the preparation of U0 powders from UP and uranylnitrate solutions comprise numerous steps with partly limited specific throughput. So for instance UP is reacted with water to give an aqueous solution of UO F +4HF, from which by addition of ammonia the uranium is precipitated as ammonium diuranate (NH U O (ADU). In succeeding steps these precipitates will be filtrated, dried, calcined and reduced, whereby during the calcination and/or reduction at temperatures near 700 C. the oxide is steam-treated to remove the large amounts of fluorine (24%) which are unavoidably contained in the precipitate.

This multi-step, labour intensive process with small specific throughput gives rises to a U0 product of unsatisfying quality especially with regard to its pressing and sintering properties, as well as its purity.

This U0 can not be pressed directly but must be milled, granulated under addition of several weight percent of an organic binder, broken up and sieved prior to pressing. Before sintering the pellets pressed from this granulate the organic binder must be removed by a separate dewaxing step. To better the poor sinterability of this powder the milling must be carried out with a jet mill, if an oxidation reduction treatment of the powder should not be suflicient.

This description shows clearly in what complicated way U0 powder of good pressing and sintering properties has been prepared up to now. The multitude of these process steps, the parameters of which can hardly be kept constant, gives rise to noticeable differences in the quality of separate UO charges, which again causes considerable difficulties during pressing and sintering.

Now, a wet chemical process for converting UP to U0 with (NH [UO (CO as an intermediate product, has been developed, which shows none of these difficulties.

This process is carried out by converting vaporous UP with gaseous NH CO and water, or With an aqueous solution of ammonium carbonate or with solid ammonium carbonate, whereby AUC is precipitated and subsequently decomposed to pure uranium dioxide powder as set forth hereinafter.

The invention will be understood best when considered in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a batch process for the precipitation of ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a continuous process for the precipitation of AUC;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a fluidized bed furnace for the reduction of AUC to U0 and FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a continuous fluidized bed process for the reduction of AUC to U0 Referring more specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a process wherein UF gas and CO gas are fed to mixer nozzles where they are mixed with armmonia gas and introduced to an aqueous solution of ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC), whereby the AUC is precipitated. A portion of the resulting AUC suspension is pumped to a filter where the AUC is removed. The balance of the AUC suspension is recirculated with the aid of a pump to the mixing nozzle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a modification of the process of FIG. 1, whereby the process can be carried out continuously. The UP CO and N are continuously mixed and fed into a first precipitation vessel containing water and AUC, the AUC suspension overflows into a second cooling vessel which is stirred. The suspension goes to a filter where the AUC is removed and water is removed. A portion of the suspension in the first precipitation vessel is continuously pumped through the mixing nozzles.

As shown in FIG. 3, hot fluidizing gases, e.g. a mixture of water vapor and hydrogen, are introduced in a sintered metal bottom plate in the furnace. Moist AUC filter cake is fed into the top of the furnace through a suction hose. The gases leaving the fluidized bed pass through sintered metal filters (indicated by the dotted lines near the to of the furnace) to hold back entrained U0 powder. The U0 is maintained at 600 C. to reduce the fluorine content of the U0 and then the hydrogen shut off and air introduced to stabilize the U0 formed which is then recovered.

FIG. 4 shows the continuous fluidized bed formation of U0 wherein AUC filter cake is added at the top of a three zone furnace. It is injected into a first fluidized bed where it is reduced with a mixture of hydrogen and steam to give a U0 powder which is passed to a second fluidized bed wherein the steam and hydrogen mixture present removes the last traces of fluorine. The U0 powder then passes to the third or bottom fluidized bed where a mixture of steam and air provide controlled oxidation to stabilize the U0 The otf gases from the two lower fluidized beds are introduced above the upper fluidized bed and form a part of the off gases.

By freeding gases NH CO and UF continuously into a measured quantity of water, the uranium content in the suspension can be increased up to 250 g. U/l., without any increase in the soluble uranium component beyond 20 g. U/l., with the result that no ammonium uranyl double fluorides are formed. Accordingly, the precipitated product contains only a very small quantity of fluorine. In order that the components may be uniformly mixed and completely absorbed by water, it has proved to be of advantage to circulate the water contained in a suitable reaction vessel through the mixer nozzles and to feed the gases to these mixer nozzles.

Although one mixer nozzle may be used for each component, it is also possible without difl'lculty to feed both the UF vapor and the CO gas together in a common mixer nozzle. The method of the precipitation according to the invention as just described is schematically shown in FIG. 1.

The use of gaseous NH and CO instead of ammonium carbonate solution or solid ammonium carbonate has technological advantages. For example, these gases are mostly not only purer than the salt or solution, a factor of decisive importance so far as the degree of nuclear purity required is concerned, they are also more readily metered into the precipitation vessel.

The crystals become smaller as the rate of precipitation increases, and larger as the precipitation temperature increases. The increased tendency which AUC has to decompose at temperatures from 60 C. upwards imposes an upper limit of around 70 C. on the precipitation temperature. It is possible by varying both the rate of precipitation and the precipitation temperature between 45 and 65 C. to vary the grain size of the precipitated product between and 200 which satisfies most of the variety of requirements of the uranium dioxide (U0 obtained from it.

The maintenance of a relatively narrow pH-range fr m 7.8 to 8.6 is of particular importance so far as the quality of the precipitate and the production of a uranium-poor filtrate are concerned. Although AUC is particularly loose and readily filterable at a pH-value of 7.8 the suspension nevertheless has a tendency to foam at the preferred precipitation temperature of around 60 C., leading to operation difliculties. In addition, the filtrate of such a precipitation contains up to 200 mg. U/l. The quality of the precipitate is not really affected in a pH-range of from 8 to 8.3, which is maintained very readily by the marked bufleirng effect of the suspension. At the same time, however, the uranium content of the filtrate drops to less than 100 mg. U/l., which corresponds to a l ss of less than 0.05% at a precipitation concentration of between 200 and 250 g. U/l. Another advantage of working in the alkaline range is that there are no corosion problems due to the presence of fluorine ions, with the result that vessels made of high-grade steel be used.

A major advantage of the precipitation process according to the invention is that precipitation may be continued up to final concentrations of around 250 g. uranium per litre, without any deterioration in the quality of the precipitate. A relatively concentrated suspension is formed of AUC crystals which, during recycling of the suspension, rub against one another and so become rounded, giving a particularly free-flowing U0 This high precipitation concentration enables the consumption of chmicals to be reduced very appreciably. At 200 g. U/l. for example, the required excess of ammonium carbonate formed still only comprises one quarter of that required for the precipitation of AUC with solid ammonium carbonate at 100 g. U/l., in order to obtain 200- mg. U/l. in the filtrate. Since however the amount of filtrate in precipitations from 100 g. U/l. is twice as large, the uranium loss is twice as high.

The precipitation process according to the invention may with advantage also be carried out continuously. After the required final concentration of 200-250 g. U/l. has been reached, water or aqueous solutions are fed into the precipitataion vessel, whilst the suspension, uniform in concentration, is allowed to flow continuously through an overflow into a cooling vessel which is also provided with an overflow through which the cooled suspension (20 C.) is delivered to a filter. During cooling the pH-value of the suspension is preferably raised to above 9. Since in the processing of uranium which is enriched with the lighter isotope U-235, the geometrically safe diameters are determined in dependence upon the level of enrichment, it is possible to obtain a really high throughput per mixer nozzle system by carrying out precipitation continuously in this way.

The products of precipitation are readily filtered, for example in a vacuum filter or drum filter. The precipitate may readily be washed by spraying it with an ammonium carbonate solution saturated at room temperature, and after drying in vacuo still contains only 2 to 6% of adhering water. An AUC treated in this way has a fluorine content of less than 0.05% and shows the following other properties.

Specific surface (BET): O.2 m. g.

Shape of crystals: prismatic crystals with rounded corners and edge, whose ratio of length/diameter is between 1:1 and 3:1

Average grain size: 2040,u (sieved) Bulk density: 1.0-1.5 g./cm.

Tap density: 1.21.7 g./cm.

Uranium content: 40-45% It was also found, that in a very similar way an ammonium uranyl carbonate (NH [UO (CO of the same chemical and physical properties is precipitated from aqueous uranyl nitrate solutions [UO (NO which originate from scrap recovery processes or from reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel elements.

The precipitation of AUC from uranyl nitrate solutions is carried out batchwise or continuously using gaseous NH and CO or ammonium carbonate solution or solid ammonium carbonate as precipitating agent.

The method of the precipitation process and the apparatus used are principally the same as in the case of the above described conversion of UP Now it was found, that the preparation of U0 powders, which are suited for direct binderless pressing, and show besides a good sinterability an exceptional purity, is possible by feeding thus precipitated moist AUC at a temperature of 500-600 C. into a fluidized bed of U0 and water vapor/ hydrogen atmosphere.

The fluidized bed is operated far above the gas rate at which fluidization sets on to ensure a rapid mixing and to avoid agglomeration of particles and the caking of the fluidized bed.

Because of the good heat transfer in a fluidized bed the drying and decomposition of the AUC particle as well as the following reduction to U0 are made possible under extremely smooth conditions, that means under con servation of the particle shape and development of a relatively high inner surface. Thus the conversion of the AUC gives rise to desirable powder properties, i.e. low fluorine content, free flowing, high specific surface etc. These properties can be conserved during the following pyrohydrolysis of the U0 powder by the application of relatively low temperatures of max. 650 C. According to the nearly stoichiometric composition and the high specific surface the thus produced, U0 powder is pyrophoric in air atmosphere at room temperature. Therefore, the U0 is stabilized in a fluidized bed at 600 C. by introduction of air into the fluidizing water vapor, so that the U0 undergoes controlled limited oxidation up to U0 UO The preparation of U0; from AUC can be carried out batchwise or continuously.

EXAMPLE 1 500 l. of deionized water are fed into a geometrically safe precipitation vessel and are circulated via mixer nozzles. 72 kg. UF vapor/ h. and 44.2 kg. CO gas/h. are then continuously fed to one mixer nozzle, while 43 kg.

NH gas/h. are continuously fed to the second mixer nozzle. After 2% hours one batch of 196 kg. UP is completed. The introduction of UF is stopped, whereas the introduction of CO and NH is continued, in order to obtain a filtrate with low content of soluble uranium (200 mg. U/l.) so that not more than 0.1% of the uranium is lost to the filtrate.

Finally the suspension is cooled below 20 C., filtrated and the filter cake is washed three times with 33 l. of an one molar ammonium carbonate solution.

EXAMPLE 2 In this precipitation method gaseous NH and CO can be replaced partly or totally by ammonium carbonate solutions or solid ammonium carbonate, if a continuous feed of these precipitation agents is ensured. In this way the precipitation agents which are recovered from the filtrate and the off gases of the precipitation and reduc tion steps are reused.

EXAMPLE 3 150 l. deionized water are placed into a geometricall safe percipitation vessel and circulated via mixer nozzles. 44.2 kg. CO gas/h. and 50 kg. NH gas/h. are separately fed into the suspension by way of two mixing nozzles. Uranyl nitrate solution is introduced through a third mixing nozzle.

In the course of 3 hours 133 kg. U as an uranyl nitrate solution, containing 400 g. U/l. and 1 molar of free nitric acid are continuously added. Further, the suspension is treated as described in Example 1. The AUC precipitated from uranyl nitrate solutions has the same properties as AUC originating from UP EXAMPLE 4 The conversion of both UF and dissolved uranyl nitrate into AUC, as described in Examples 13, is carried out in a continuous way in a two step precipitation process. Thereby the reactants are continuously fed into the first precipitation vessel, while the AUC-suspension overflows into a second cooling vessel. A schematic drawing of the apparatus is shown in FIG. 2. The thus precipitated AUC has the same properties as the batchwise precipitated product.

EXAMPLE 5 Into a heated fluidised bed furnace (FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of this furnace) with safe diameter the 600 C. hot fluidising gases, for instance 30 Nm. water vapor/h. and 4.5 Nm. H /h. are introduced through a sintered metal bottom plate.

In the course of 4 hours about 330 kg. of moist AUC filter cake, corresponding to 150 kg. U0 are fed into the furnace at a steadily increasing rate. The moist AUC with less than 10% of adhering water is, according to the method of the invention, cut from a horizontally turning vacuum plate filter by a shearing knife which moves slowly from the center to the periphery. The AUC is then transferred to the fluidised bed furnace through a suction hose. The AUC is introduced portionwise every sec. by pneumatic injection into the fluidised bed. The time between two successive injections is so chosen that complete decomposition of AUC is ensured, whereby large amounts of gases are liberated. The gases leaving the fluidised bed pass through sintered metal filters to hold back entrained U0 powder, before they enter into a scrubber.

After the feeding period the temperature of the fluid ised bed is kept one more hour at 600 C., to reduce the fluorine content of the U0 to less than 50 p.p.m. Following this pyrohydrolysis period the stream of hydrogen is shut off to introduce air at such a rate that the O:U ratio is raised within /2 hour to preset values between 2.06 and 2.16. After the stabilisation of the U0 by this partial oxidation the complete batch is discharged into a cooling container. The thus obtained U0 powder shows the following properties.

Specific surface: 5-6 m. g. Bulk density: 2.02.2 g./crn. Tap density: 2.5-2. g./cm Flow characteristic: 3-8 g./sec.

(defined by the free flow of powder from a metal funnel with outlet diameter 4 mm. and opening angle 60).

O:U ratio: 2.062.l6

Water content: 0.1%-0.25% Uranium content: 87.40% F: 50 p.p.m.

Fe: 10 p.p.m.

Cr: 10 p.p.m.

Ni: 6 p.p.m.

V: 3 p.p.m.

W: 2 p.p.m.

N: 6 p.p.m.

Typical grain size distribution (sedimentation analysis): Percent 6p. 2O 610,u 25 10-14 t 25 14-18; 15 18 15 EXAMPLE 6 The preparation of U0 from moist AUC is carried out in a two step batch process by injecting AUC portionwise into a bed of U0 fluidised with water vapor at 300 C. under which conditions AUC is decomposed spontaneously to give a very reactive U0 power. This U0 powder is then fed portionwise to a fluidised bed of U0 and a water vapor/hydrogen atmosphere of 600 C., Where it is reduced rapidly to U0 under conserving its favourable powder properties. The U0 is than treated as described in Example 5. The average throughput of this process in geometrical safe fluidised bed furnaces of 300 mm. diameter is about 60 kg. UO /h., which shows the same characteristic properties as described in Example 5.

EXAMPLE 7 The continuous preparation of U0 from moist AUC is carried out in such a way, that moist AUC is taken from a continuous filter at a rate of kg. AUC/h. and injected in small portions into a first fluidised bed where it is calcined at 300 C. to give U0 or directly reduced with hydrogen at 600 C. to give U0 In a second fluidised bed, U0 is reduced at a temperature of 600 C. with hydrogen. The steam treatment of the U0 in this fluidised bed removes last traces of fluorine.

In the third fluidised bed, U0 is stabilised at 600 C. by controlled limited oxidation with air to values between 2.06-2.16. (FIG. 4 shows a schematic drawing of the apparatus.) The U0 powder prepared according to this continuous production process shows the same characteristic properties as described in Example 5.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. The method of preparing uranium dioxide of good pressing and sintering behavior comprising precipitating ammonium uranyl carbonate and forming a suspension thereof by introducing the three reaction components UF NH and C0 as gases into an aqueous ammonium uranyl carbonate containing solution at a pH value maintained between 7.8 and 8.6 and thereafter spontaneously decomposing and gas reducing the precipitated ammonium uranyl carbonate in a furnace at elevated temperature to obtain a pure uranium dioxide powder.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the precipitation is carried out at an elevated temperature up to 70 C.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the precipitation is completed by cooling the suspension of ammonium uranyl carbonate in mother liquor to room temperature and permitting the pH to rise to 9.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the three gaseous reaction components are fed to mixer nozzles through which the aqueous suspension of ammonium uranyl carbonate is recirculated to increase the rate of absorption of the three gases.

5. A process according to claim 1, including the steps of carrying out the precipitation continuously and overflowing the suspension of the AUC continuously to a second vessel and cooling the suspension in said second vessel.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the precipitated ammonium uranyl carbonate is fed to a furnace containing a fluidized 'bed of U powder in a water vapor-hydrogen atmosphere containing about 13% H O at 500 to 600 C. to decompose the ammonium uranyl carbonate.

7. A process according to claim 1, comprising feeding the precipitate to a fluidized bed portionwise with a sufficient time interval between two succeeding feedings to permit the spontaneous decomposition to go to completion between each successive feeding.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of hydrogen is chosen so that the ammonium uranyl carbonate is reduced completely to U0 9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reduction to U0 is carried out at 500 to 600 C.

10. A process according to claim 1, comprising carrying out the decomposition of the ammonium uranyl carbonate in a fluidized 'bed operated far above the velocity at which fluidization begins so that a sufliciently fast mixing is obtained compared to the reaction rate of the ammonium uranyl carbonate feed and agglomeration of U0 particles and caking of the fluidized bed are avoided.

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the last traces of fluorine are removed from the U0 in the step of pyrohydrolysis at temperatures near 600 C.

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the U0 formed is stabilized against pyrophoric reaction by controlled limited oxidation by introducing air at a temperature of 600 C. into the U0 water vapor fluidized bed whereby the composition of the U0 product can be fixed at a predetermined value between U0 and UO 13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the conversion of the ammonium uranyl carbonate precipitate to U0 is carried out in a plurality of steps including decomposing the precipitate spontaneously at 300 C. in a fluidized bed made of U0 and water vapor in a first step and directly reducing the product thus obtained to U0 in a second step at a temperature of 600 C. in a fluidized bed made up of U0 and a water vapor-hydrogen atmosphere.

14. A process according to claim 1 which is carried out continuously and in which the formation of U0 is carried out with the aid of three fluidized beds in the furnace, including the steps of (1) forming U0 or U0 in the first fluidized bed, (2) reducing and pyrohydrolyzing the product from the first fluidized bed in the second fluidized bed and (3) stabilizing the product from the second fluidized bed from becoming pyrophoric in air in the third fluidized bed at a temperature of 300 to 600 C. by employing air-water vapor in the third bed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,227,514 1/1966 Vertes et a1. 23-355 3,052,513 9/ 1962 Crouse 23-334 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,126,363 3/ 1962 Germany.

3,659,164 7/ 1964 Japan.

CARL D. QUARFORTH, Primary Examiner M. I. McGREAL, Assistant Examiner 

